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In the song, Brown addresses the prejudice towards blacks in America, and the need for black empowerment. He proclaims that "we demands a chance to do things for ourself/we're tired of beating our head against the wall/and workin' for someone else". The song's call-and-responsechorus is performed by a group of young children, who respond to Brown's command of "Say it loud" with "I'm black and I'm proud!"[3] The song was recorded in a Los Angeles area suburb with about 30 young people from the Watts and Compton areas.[4]

The lyrics "We've been 'buked and we've been scorned/We've been treated bad, talked about as sure as you're born" in the first verse of the song paraphrases the spiritual "I've Been 'Buked".

Jazz pianist Jaki Byard recites the title phrase at the onset of "Parisian Thoroughfare", the opening track of his album The Jaki Byard Experience. However, the recitation is only audible when the track is played at a high volume.

The song is referenced in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, inspired by Black Power protests, Will, the African-American male lead attempts to hold a protest (ironically, Will and his cousin Carlton are the only black people in the room) to get a popular teacher reinstated, he inspires "Cornflake", a white fellow student, who stands up and shouts passionately "Fight the Power Will! Sing it loud, I'm black and I'm proud", to which Will replies "See, my man Conflake's got the spirit. He's a little confused but he's got the spirit".